Long Island Drug Trafficker Sentenced To 25 To Life

A drug trafficker from Uniondale was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison on Friday for his role in bringing heroin and cocaine into Nassau County. He is the first person to be convicted of operating as a major trafficker in Nassau.

On April 30, David Ramis, 40, was convicted of two counts of operating as a major trafficker, first-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, three counts of second-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance, two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, eight counts of third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance, two counts each of first-and fourth-degree conspiracy and two counts of second-degree criminally using drug paraphernalia.

Ramis was arrested in 2016 as part of "Operation Gram Slam," a massive, nine-month-long investigation into heroin and drug trafficking in Nassau County.

“This defendant lined his pockets by trafficking massive quantities of heroin and cocaine to dealers across Long Island, and today’s sentence ensures that he will not poison our neighbors and communities again,” said Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas. “‘Operation Gram Slam’ struck a heavy blow to Long Island’s drug supply, and law enforcement at every level is working tirelessly, together, with a shared commitment to end the heroin epidemic that has stolen so many lives.”

Starting in January 2016, the DA's office began investigating Ramis, believing he was supplying heroin and cocaine to 50 dealers across Long Island and upstate. Authorities conducted a nine-month-long investigation and learned that Ramis often conducted sales in front of his home. He told some of his "top customers" that he saw them so much he should double their orders because he didn't want to drive around with drugs so frequently. Authorities also say that some of his users said the heroin Ramis sold was so strong they were surprised it didn't kill them.

When police arrested Ramis, they recovered more than 130 grams of heroin and a kilogram of cocaine from search warrants and car stops. Police found 150 grams of cocaine in a hidden compartment Ramis built into his car to transport drugs.

Authorities say that the drugs Ramis sold to his top-three customers during a three-month period, along with the drugs on him when he was arrested, were worth more than $250,000.

Ramis was one of 31 people from across Long Island that were indicted in July 2016 as part of "Operation Gram Slam," which was one of the largest drug take-downs in the county's history. In addition to the drugs, authorities seized three handguns, three assault rifles and $75,000 cash. The investigation began in 2015 following a traffic stop arrest in Rockville Centre, which led to the FBI's Long Island Gang Task Force looking into local heroin distributors.

• RELATED: 'Operation Gram Slam' Among Largest Narcotics Takedowns in Nassau County History: DA

"We are doing all we can as law enforcement to stop the spread of these deadly drugs, and the pushers who only see people as a way to make money," said FBI Assistant Director-In-Charge William Sweeney. "We also ask members of the public to do all they can to communicate with us about what’s going on in their communities, and see this case as evidence that we are not going to stop pursing these traffickers."

Photo courtesy Nassau County District Attorney's Office